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Committee eyes DRIP grant for PA system replacements, HVAC work
Summary
The committee heard that a state DRIP Grant must be spent by June 30 and officials plan to use it to replace aging PA systems at Nathan Hale and Winthrop and to fund HVAC work at BP Mission; systems are near a 20-year expected life and district staff plan in-house installation.
The New London Board of Education School Facilities & Program Design Committee on Feb. 9 heard that a state DRIP Grant must be expended by June 30 and the district plans to use the funds for public-address system replacements and select HVAC repairs.
Executive Director of District Operations Miguel Gautier Jr. reported the district is considering using DRIP Grant funds to replace PA systems at Nathan Hale and Winthrop schools and to perform HVAC work at BP Mission. He said the Winthrop PA is now experiencing the same pre-failure issues that preceded the Nathan Hale system’s failure and that the existing systems are close to a 20-year end of life. Gautier said the district is meeting with vendors and preparing contracts and that installation is planned to be done in-house where possible.
The committee was told the DRIP Grant comes with a June 30 expenditure deadline, which shapes the timeline for procurement and installation. The district’s approach prioritizes replacing systems that are nearing functional failure and using available grant funds rather than general funds.
The report did not include estimated costs, final vendor selections, or a detailed installation schedule; those items were left for follow-up discussion and contracting. The committee took no formal vote on the procurement plan during the meeting.
